Skylight construction.



J. D. THOMPSON. SKYLIGHT CONSTRUCTION.

APPLIOATIQN FILED BEPT. 22, 1910.

Patented Oct. 3, 1 1.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

J.. D.`THOMPSON.

SKYLIGT GONSTRUGTION. l APPLICATION FILED SEPT.22, 1910.

Patented 0011.3;1911.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

vports for the JEFFERSON D. THOMPSON, 0F WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

SKYLIG-HT CONSTRUCTION.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 3, 1911.

Application led September 22, 1910. Serial No. 583,209.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, JEFFERSON D. THoMrsoN, a citizen of the United States, residing at llfashiiigton, in the District of Columbia, have invented new and useful Improvements in Skylight Construction, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in skylight construction, and is directed more particularly to the skylight bars or astragals which support the edges of the glass plates of the skylight.

One object of the invention is to provide a novel form of astragal which shall be of simple vand economical construction, combined with great strength and lightness', and provided, furthermore, with suitable lgutters for carrying away any water that through imperfect construction or otherwise, enters from without between the-glass plates and the glass plates and astragal.

Another object of lthe invention is to provide slightly yielding carriers or supcushion or glazing strips, preferably made of a soft metal, which tend -to hold said cushion or glazing strips in firm, close and fluid glass plates.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists of the novel construction and arrangements of parts hereinafter de-` scribed and claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a cross sectional view of my improved astragal or skylight support. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the members of the astragal separated. Fig. 8 is a longitudinal sectional view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1, and Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing two glass plates in position thereon and the manner of securing-them. Fig.

tight contact with the 5 is a side elevation' of a section ofv skylight constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 6 is a plan view of one of the cross gutters used with the -skylight shown in Fig. 5.

The astragal or skylight bar A is made Whollyof sheet metal andin two parts or members, inter-connected and fastened rig idly together by rivets, screws or bolts. The lower part or member 10 of the astragal is made by doubling upon itself, longitudinally a'nd centrally, a sheet of met-al to form an upstanding central web 11, the folded sides of the sheet forming 'said web being in close contact. The fold 11El of the sheet being uppermost, at a suitable distanceI below the same, the aforesaid sides are bent outwardly in opposite directions and in a straight line perpendicular to the web to form fianges 12 having upturned edges 13, the web, flanges. and upturned edges forming gutters 14, on each side of the central web 11. `The upper part or member 15 is also made of 'a single sheet of metal bent centrally upon itself to forni an open web 16 of sutlicient Width to receive the web 11 and bear closely against the outer sides thereof, and permanently fastened together by rivets 30. Screws or bolts may be used in some instances if desired. The folded sides of the member 15 are bent outwardlyv in a curve at 17 and then extend upwardly on opposite sides 0f and parallel, or nearly so, to the web 16 for a short distance, preferably less than one-half the height of the web 16, to forni sides 18 for gutters 19. The upper edge of each side 18 is bent over at 18a to form a rounded seat or support for a soft metal cushion or glazing strip 20 on which bears a glass plate 21 of the skylight held in place by a cap or crown piece 22 and bolts and nuts 23 as fully described in my application for patent Serial No. 498,631.

Between the fold 11a of the web 11 and the fold 16'r1 of the web 16 is aspace 24 in which the elongated head 25 of the fastening bolts 23 are held. The Shanks of the bolts pass through round holes 26 inthe fold 16a while their heads, .fitting snugly between the folds 11a and 16L and the walls of the open web 16, hold the Shanks of the bolts firmly in an upright position as shown, so that the cap or crown piece 22 can be readily placed in position. The ends of the bolts are pointed to enable them to puncture the cap or crown piece', lusually iliade of copper, when the latter is struck lby a mallet.

The cushion or glazing strip 20 is very similar to that described in my application for patent previously mentioned, the vertical walls 27 in the present instance, however, being tapered from the transverse'web 28 to the free edges which are very thin and the faces of the web .are made concave so as to fit snugly over 18El of the gutters 19.

It is to be noted that the inner sides of `the gutters 19, formed by the web project unbroken some distance the bent overV Vedge above the upperA plates will lie substantially in a plane.

ysurfaces of the glass plates, and that the nr said strips, or it would drop down the outer faces of the outer walls into the lower gutters lil. It willthiis be seen that no water leaking into thel skylight can 'drop therefrom but 'Will be caught by one or more of the several gutters and be carried oil. The shape of the aforesaid gutters 14 and 19 may be changed at pleasure. The former may be semi-circular and the latter angular, or both pairs may be alike.

, In the construction of skylights with astragals A formed as hereinabove described, the lower and upper members 10 and 15, respectively, are described as extending continuously and parallel to each other' from the ridge to the eaves without interruption, in which ease the surfaces ot' the glasI's t is, however, often desirable to overlap the plates of glass, as represented in ll'ig. 5, after-the manner of shiiigiles, in which case, the lower members 10 of the astragalswill preferably be made continuous troni ridge. to eaves, but the upper members 15 will be .divided into longitudinal sections 35 -equal in number to 'the horizontal rows ot L ,ilassI plates on the side .of the skylight. lilaeli section 35 is fastened by rivets 3() or screws to the member 10 as previously described`r but the sections are inclined with relation to said member, :the lower end oi each section being higher than the upper cnd and overlapping the next lower .section so. that' water, should. any enter between the see-4 'tioIiS, will be quickly and safety carried ott.

Supported on the sott metal cushions or glazing strips 20-of each pair ot laterally `disposed sections 35 is a plate ot glass 2l.

the lower end of each plate overlapping the plate next below it a sullieiilnt distance to prevent water, under ordinary eirciimv stances, entering between them. lo lurtlier insure against the entrance. ol. water, the

AAVoverlapping portions ot the plates are.

slightly separated for the insertion ot a corrugated strip 8U oisott material as lead, the elevations aiid depressions of whieh bear oii the proximate surfaces ot the two plates, and being sol't'.,.this corrugated strip readily yields to any iiieiiufilitiesl in the. surfaces of said plates, 'lhe corrugaal strip is readily retained in place by lt'olding down its' upper edge 37 over the upper edge of the lower plate of glass shown in Fig. 5.

Extending transversely between each pair of astragals A below the overlapping edges ofthe glass plates 21 are placed cross gutters 38. These gutters 38, in this form of the invention, are each made, preferably, of sheet metal and are carried at their ends on the upturned edges 13 of the gutters 14tand empty into them, see Fig. 4. Each end of the transverse gutters has a down- .ward turned lip 39, as shown, to' prevent water from ruiming backwardly on the bottom of the gutters 88 and escaping over the edges of the gutters 14. The transverse gutters 38 are provided each with a flange or lip 40 on its downward side 41 which lip bears on the under side of the upper end of a-giass plate, and from the' opposite side 42 of each of said gutters, a short distance below the glass, extends a plate 43 beyond the end of said glass where it is turned up to form a liange 44. The metal plate 43 is formed with upwardly projecting ribs 45 on which the upper end of the aforesaid glass plate rests, thus providing a space between the glass and the metal plate43 for the circulation of air. The upturned llanges t/.t prevent all moisture which from faulty construction or imperfections in the glass plates or corrugated lead strips 36, enters between the loverlapped plates oi glass 'from escaping over the edges ot' said plates 43 and compels it to ruii 'downsaid plates into the gutters 38. The ends 4G ot the platesI 423 project beyond-the ends ot the cross gutters 38 and rest on thc glazing `strips 20, see Fig. (3. l

From the above. it will be noted that the glass plates 2l 'are not only supported on' their side edges by the glazing strips 20, but are carried at their ends by the transverse gutters also1 thus giving lstrong and perfect support to eaeh glass plate. and providing absolutely lea ldess joints. lhe cap or crown piece 22 in this type ol skylight; is also made iii sections, each section tapering outwardly troni above downwardly so `that the top 22" ot' eatli crown piece section will be close to the vtold ltn ol the upper sectional inembor lt where. it is fastened, and the sot't. lead parking strips t7 on the lower edges will li(l in elose contact with the 'glass plates 2l.

rl'he. sott metal glazing strips 2t) are not |'iernianently attached to the members l5, but are. placed iii position thereon onlyv alter the astragals and other framing are finally" secured in piave ready Vl'or the glass. 'lhe glas/.ing strips are then rarel'ully placed in po it1ioii and the, lower walls 27 pressed tirnily against the. sides I8 ot the gii ters i9. 'lho pressure on the. glazing strips is always downward so there is no danger ol' displacement, while, ill through some cause it bccomes necessary to renew a strip, this can be quickly done by removing the necessary crown pieces and glass.- Furthermore, by not fastening the glazing strips permanently on the astragals, there is .no danger of marring the relatively sharp edges of their walls, either when shipping, or when erecting the structure, and thus water tight joints are the rule and not the exception.

What I claim is v l. An astragal for skylights comprising an upper and a lower member each made of resilient sheetmetal with a central webl and a gutter on each side of the same, said webs being interconnected, the gutters of the upper member forming yielding supports for the glass plates of the skylight, and movable cushioning or glazing strips carried on the outer edges of said gutters.

2. An astragal for skylights comprising an upper member and a lower member, each member being made of a single sheet of metal bent to form a central web and a gutter on each side of each web, the web of one member tting into the web of the other member and the gutters of one member being spacedA from and vertically above the gutters of the other member, and means for fastening said members together through the webs.

3. An astragal for skylights made wholly of sheet metal comprising two members, each consisting ofl a strip of resilient sheet metal bent intermediate its edges to provide a central web, the-web of one member being open to receive the web of the other member, and the free longitudinal edges of said members being bent outwardly and upwardly to provide upper and lower gutters on each side of the central webs, said gutters lying beneath the glass plates of the skylight and the uppermost gutters forming yielding supports for said glass plates.

4. An astragal for skylights madewholly of sheet metal comprising two members, each consisting of a sheet of somewhat resilient metal bent to form a central web, the web of one member fitting snugly within the web of the other member and the free longitudinal edges of said members being bent outwardly and upwardly to provide upper and lower gutters on each side of the central webs, and return bends on the outer edges of the upper gutters to form yielding supports for the glass sheets of the skylight, and removable soft metal glazing strips adapted to straddle said return bends.

5. An astragal for skylights made wholly of somewhat resilientsheet metal bent into shape and comprising separately formed upper and lower members having inter-engaging webs, and gutters on each side of said webs, the outer edges of the gutters on the upper member being arranged for glazing strips, and glazing strips removably projecting beyond the gutters of the upper member, fastening devices extending through the webs of both members.

6. An astragal for skylights made wholly each consisting of a strip of resilient sheet metal bent intermediate its edges to provide a central web, the .web of onemember ittin snugly within the web of the other member, Vthe `free longitudinal edges of said members being bent outwardly and upwardly to provide upper and lower'gutters on each side of the central webs, the lower gutters extending laterally beyond the upper gutters, and the upper gutters formin yielding supports for the glass plates o? the skylight, and cushioning or glazing strips between the yielding edges of the gutters and said glass plates.

7. An astragal for skylightsimade wholly of sheet metal comprising two members each consisting of a strip of sheet metal bent intermediate its edges to provide a central web, the web of one member fitting snugly within the web of the other member, espace being left between the folds forming the tops of said webs, a bolt projecting through the fold of the upper web with its head secured in said space, and upper and lower ,of sheet metal comprislng two members,

gutters formed by bending the free sides of each member outwardly and upwardly.

8. An astragal for skylights comprising a continuous lower member and a sectional upper member having interconnected central webs and gutters on each side of said webs, each section of said upper member overlapping the section below and inclined relatively to the lower member, yielding glazing strips carried on the gutters of each` section to support a glass plate and conformV to any'irregularities therein, and a crown piece made of overlapping sections, each section adapted to bear on and hold a sheet of glass in position.

9. An astragal for skylights comprising a i continuous straight lower member and a` sectional upper member having inter-connected central webs and gutters on each side of said we bs, each section of sald upper member overlapping the section below and? inclined relatively to the lower member,` Y

cross gutters, their ends resting on the guts ters of both members and providedwith means for supporting the ends of plates ofj glass, soft metal glazin strips carried'on the gutters of each section to support .the

sides of said glass plates, a crown piece made in overlapping sections, ada ted to hold the plates glass in position, and

means. for fastening said sections/.to the l :fforesa'id interconnected central webs..

10. A skylight comprising a plurallty of astragals veach made o'f a continuous lower member and an upper member formed of overlapping sections, each section inclined relatively to the lower member, longitudinal gutters on the sides of' the lower members and each section of the upper members, a plurality of cross gutters extending between each pair of astragals, glass plates supported on the outer edges of the gutters of said sections andl on the cross gutters, each glass plate overlapping the upper end of the plate next below, a corrugated soft filling strip between said overlapping ends of the glass plates, soft metal cushion strips on the outer the upper members overlapping the similar gutter next below, soft metal cushion strips on the outer edges of said section gutters,

glass plates supported on said cushion strips,

each plate overlapping the plate next below, corrugated filling strips oi soft material between said overlapped ends of the glass plates, and overlapping sectional crown pieces adapted to hold said glass plates in position on said cushion strips.

l2, A skylight comprising a plurality of astragals each made of a continuous straight lower member and an upper member formed of straight voverlapping sections, each section inclined relatively to said lower member, longitudinal gutters on the sides of the lower members and on each section of the upper members, cross gutters betweensaid astragals supported at their ends on said longitudinal gutters and opening into -those of the lower members, said cross gutters cach having an outwardly extending plate on one side provided with upstanding ribs and a lip on its opposite side, cuslr ion strips on the gutters of each section, f

overlapping glass plates supported on said cushion strips, ribs and lips, a filling strip of soft material between the overlapping ends of the glass plates, and sectional crown pieces for holding the glass plates in position.

In testimony whereof' I have hereunto set 4myhand 1n presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JEFFERSON D. THOMPSON.

Witnesses J., GRANVILLE Mnrnns, G. M. S'rUciiER. 

